For people on the go, the smartphone is not only a tool for communicating and accessing the Internet, it can also be used to stay healthy. There are many health-related apps available for both the iPhone and Android smartphones. The following list highlights some of the essential smartphone health apps. All that’s needed is a smartphone with a high speed internet connection and the desire to have the best “mobile” health possible.

Instant Heart Rate Pro

Instant Heart Rate Pro is very practical and useful app for the person on the go. The app allows them to keep track of their heart rate directly from their Android phone. It has been rated as one of the best health and fitness apps. Instant Heart Rate Pro is simple to use and works by placing a finger on the camera lens of the smartphone. The heart rate is displayed on the phone’s screen in a digital and a graphical output. http://www.instantheartrate.com/index.jsp

JEFIT Pro

This Android app is targeted towards the person that is serious about bodybuilding. JEFIT Pro has features to allow the user to track their workouts, monitor body statistics, develop workout routines and create lifting profiles. It includes exercise animations to show the proper workout and lifting techniques. Users can download workout profiles developed by other JEFIT Pro users. Considered one of the most helpful and comprehensive health apps, JEFIT Pro should be downloaded by all serious bodybuilders who use an Android phone. www.jefit.com/

BMI Calculator

Android users that wish to compute their body mass index should download the BMI Calculator app. The user enters their pertinent data such as weight, height and age and the app gives an output of their body mass index. A table shows whether the person is underweight, normal, overweight, obese, or morbidly obese. This Android app is a very simple yet handy calculator to have when working on fitness goals. https://market.android.com/details?id=free.wk.mybodymass hl;=en

MyFitnessPal Calorie Counter

Nowadays, everyone is interested in staying abreast of their caloric intake. The great thing about this Android app is that it includes a bar code scanner to help determine the nutrition information of a product at the grocery store. The MyFitnessPal Calorie Counter app allows the user to keep a diary of food that is eaten each day. It also provides a progress screen to track weight. Additional food items can be added to the database which is great for products not already found in the apps default database. This is another essential health app for the Android phone. www.myfitnesspal.com/mobile

Backpacker GPS Trails

One of the great things about an Android smartphone is the versatility of the many tools that are incorporated into the mobile device. The Backpacker GPS Trails app takes advantage of the GPS, camera and compass in the device to give those who enjoy hiking, backpacking and camping a way to record their experiences. It allows the user to mark trails, waypoints, and other points of interest. Hiking progress can be monitored with different stats such as distance, elevation, calories and speed. This is a must-have Android app for the outdoors enthusiast. http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com